Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

Museum of our soul (Spurious Quotation)

A look at why scholars do not think Jefferson ever used the phrase "the museum of our soul and the archive of our experiences."

A modern-day portrait of Thomas Jefferson in early 19-century attire with a speech bubble next to his head that says, "I said what?!"

Quotation: "That which we elect to surround ourselves with becomes the museum of our soul and the archive of our experiences."

Variations: None known.

Sources consulted (searching on "museum of our soul" and "archive/s of our experience/s"):

  1. Papers of Thomas Jefferson Digital Edition
  2. Thomas Jefferson Retirement Papers
  3. Thomas Jefferson: Papers and Biographies collections in Hathi Trust Digital Library

Earliest appearance in print located: 20041

Comments: To date, we have not found this statement in Thomas Jefferson's writings.

- Anna Berkes, 8/24/07; re-checked 7/12/19

Footnotes

  1. Jan De Luz and Tom O'Neal, The French Touch (Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2004), 63.